How does FTP Publishing work?

Hi Tansy,

That is a fair question!

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. So it basically means you transfer the file from your local computer to the server that hosts your web site - uploading (or vice versa - downloading).

I guess some people might call a web site an 'ftp site' if the web developer has uploaded their files using FTP, but really it should just be said that 'they use FTP to upload their files'.

An 'FTP site' in technical terms is really just a server (FTP server) that holds files - a bit like 'off-site' storage. So you might upload files to your FTP Server ('ftp site') for backup or security purposes.

I'd recommend this site for more descriptive text on these terms: http://www.ftpplanet.com/ftpresources/basics.htm

I hope that helps to clarify the difference!

If you have any further questions, I'd be happy to help.

Regards, Rich